On November 2, 2014, at approximately 3:10 a.m., Officer Danny O’Day was on patrol in the 1000 block of H Street when he observed a truck and trailer parked over the fuel storage tanks at a local fleet fuel supplier. Officer O’Day was suspicious as the Department received an alert of gas thefts involving a truck and trailer operated by a male and female team.
As the officer drove into the business’ parking lot, the truck and trailer drove away. Officer O’Day quickly realized the caps to the fuel storage tanks had been removed, leading him to believe he interrupted a fuel theft in progress. Officer O’Day made an investigate stop on the vehicle in the 1000 block of Pacheco Boulevard, and as he approached the vehicle on foot, he smelled a strong odor of gasoline.
Officer O’Day requested that the driver, 46-year-old Donnie Wayne Woodral, exit the vehicle and accompany the officer to the rear of the trailer. Woodral explained to the officer that he would need to retrieve a key from the vehicle to open the trailer. As Woodral and the officer approached the vehicle, Woodral jumped into the vehicle suddenly and fled from the officer. Woodral stopped the vehicle up the road near the intersection of J Street and Pacheco Boulevard, where he fled on foot in an unknown direction.
The officers learned the trailer was “cold plated,” meaning the thieves replaced the license plates with plates from another vehicle, and the trailer had been reported stolen out of Turlock, California.
Woodral’s accomplice, 30-year-old Danielle Gourevitch, was arrested for her involvement in the fuel theft. Gourevitch is charged with grand theft, theft of a vehicle, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
A warrant has been issued for Woodral’s arrest in connection with the theft.
“What’s interesting is an employee of the fuel business alerted our Department of similar thefts going on at fuel station locations in Stanislaus and Merced Counties two days prior. Because the employee communicated with the Department the thieves were stopped dead in their tracks.”
- Jason Hedden, Police Commander
Detectives believe the pair may be responsible for other fuel thefts in Los Banos and our investigation into the thefts in ongoing.
To leave an anonymous crime tip call 209-827-7070 Ext. 288. If you have access to a computer and the internet you can also leave an anonymous tip at the Police Department’s web page at www.losbanos.org. At the bottom of the “Contact” page simply click on the “report graffiti and other crime” link or visit the Merced Area Crime Stoppers by telephone at 1-855-725-2420, or at www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org
